1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wireless function preinstalled imaging apparatus capable of transferring image data of a photographed image to other device by utilizing a wireless communication function.
2. Related Background Art
In the imaging apparatus such as a digital camera, a digital video etc, the image data of the photographed image can be transferred to other digital device from the imaging apparatus body.
Each of these digital imaging apparatuses is generally provided with an interface for inputting and outputting data, and is connected by a cable to a PC (personal computer) through a general-purpose I/O port of RS232C (RS-232 Cable), USB (Universal Serial Bus) etc. Further, an image data recording medium involves the use of a general-purpose detachable memory card, and the data are transferred other digital devices such as PC etc through this memory card in many cases.
On the other hand, there can be seen also in the communication field a scheme of digitizing the general subscriber telephones with a spread of ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network), a scheme of changing over the cellular phones to a digital system from an analog system and further a development of a new public wireless system suited to the digital data communications.
Moreover, owing to a development of a high-speed digital wireless system such as Bluetooth, wireless LAN etc for short-range local area communications, wireless direct communications in addition to the communications through the general-purpose medium such as the memory card, come to be utilized for transferring and receiving the data between the digital devices.
Under such circumstances, a wireless communication function is installed also into a portable digital imaging apparatus, and it is considered that the image data of the image photographed by the device are wirelessly transmitted by establishing connections to a cellular phone, a wireless LAN unit etc.
FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing an architecture of a conventional wireless function preinstalled imaging apparatus 200.
An optical image inputted from an image input unit 202 constructed of an optical element such as a lens, is converted from optical data into electronic data by an image processing unit 203 and, after undergoing a compression process etc, stored on a data recording unit 204.
An image display unit 205 displays the inputted optical image as it remains electronically converted when in a photographing process, and displays the stored image data when in a reproducing process. Further, pieces of information such as a present date/time, photographing conditions etc and a state of a wireless communication unit 201 other than the image information, are displayed on the display unit 205 under the control of a control unit 206.
A key input unit 207 is an interface used for a user to operate the imaging apparatus, and the control unit 206 processes the information thereof, thereby executing necessary operations.
In the case of using the wireless function, the control unit 206 controls the wireless communication unit 201 and the data recording unit 204 in accordance with a command given through the key input unit 207, and transmits the image data within the data recording unit 204 via the wireless communication unit 201 or saves on the data recording unit 204 the image data received through the wireless communication unit 201.
FIG. 3 is a view illustrating an operation surface of the conventional imaging apparatus.
The numeral 301 represents an imaging apparatus body corresponding to an imaging apparatus 200 in FIG. 2, wherein a photograph composition is decided, a saved data are confirmed, and so forth on a display unit 302. The display unit 302 corresponds to an image display unit 205 in FIG. 2. The numeral 303 designates a shutter button functioning as one of a variety of setting buttons when in the reproducing process. The numerals 304, 304 indicate right and left cursor buttons, the numerals 305 through 308 denote push switches used for, in combination with the shutter button 303, setting a photograph mode when photographing, selecting an image when reproducing and setting a play mode. The components 303 through 308 correspond to a key input unit 207 in FIG. 2.
Under a condition wherein a transfer and a receipt of the data are accelerated with the imaging apparatus functioning as a central device, the data transferring/receiving operations involve a large increase in key operations such as selecting the data, specifying transferring/receiving terminals, or rewriting and adding, as the necessity arises, additional information such as a file name, a photographing time and location etc. As shown in FIG. 3, however, the majority of imaging apparatus bodies are equipped with only simple input means such as direction keys and some decision keys.
This configuration is schemed from a necessity of simplifying the functions other than the imaging function to the greatest possible degree though the body, it is desirable, be small both in size and weight in terms of considering a situation that the imaging apparatus is used mainly outdoors.
Accordingly, a problem is that ten keys or a key device requiring more multiple inputs unsuited to its portability than the ten keys can not be prepared also under such a condition that the input operations frequently occur.